Comparison Test on Adaptability of Six Medicago sativa (Alfalfa) Varieties in Guangxi

In order to screen the Medicago sativa(alfalfa)varieties suitable for planting in Guangxi,six domestic and foreign heat-resistant alfalfa varieties,namely WL903,WL712,WL525HQ,59N59,Elite 9 and Longwei 6010,were selected and tested for growth performance,nutritional value and over-summer rate by the random block method.The results showed that the alfalfa varieties with better plant height and fresh grass yield were 59N59 and WL903,which showed the plant heights reaching 62.01 and 62.53 cm,respectively,and the fresh grass yields up to 40.93 and 38.38 t/hm 2,respectively,exhibiting extremely significant differences from the poorly performing Longwei 6010(P<0.01).The nutritional value of each tested variety was good,and the crude protein content was more than 20%.Among them,Elite 9 had a crude protein content as high as 28.43%.The over-summer rates of the six alfalfa varieties were all higher than 75%.It showed that the alfalfa varieties with fast growth,high yield,high nutritional value and high over-summer rate in this experimental area were 59N59 and WL903,which are suitable as the first varieties for planting in Guangxi.

Comparative Test on Spring Medium-sized Watermelon Varieties in Beijing

[Objectives]This study was conducted to select suitable medium-sized watermelon varieties for early spring cultivation in Beijing.[Methods]Seven watermelon varieties were collected,including Beinong Tianjiao 2,Beinong Tianjiao,Hongfuji,Yongfeng 1,Beinong Futian,Beinong Shijia,and Beinong Jinxiu,and Jingxin 2 was used as the control check(CK).The growth period,morphological traits,yield traits and fruit quality of the tested varieties were investigated.[Results]Beinong Tianjiao 2 had an earlier maturation stage,a fruit development period of 38 d and a total growth period of 118 d.It showed stable growth,with a single fruit weight of 7.56 kg,a fruit setting rate of 0.99 per plant,and a yield of 83076.9 kg/hm~2,which ranked,respectively,second,first,and second among all tested varieties,and were significantly superior to the CK.Furthermore,this variety had thin and tough peel,a bright red flesh color,high central sugar content,loose and crisp flesh,and a good taste.[Conclusions]It is preliminarily believed that it is suitable for early spring watermelon production in Beijing area.

Experimental Precision and Variety Comparison Precision in Regional Crop Trials

According to the basic concepts of precision and the principles of analysis of variance (ANOVA), precision types for experiments and variety comparison in regional crop trials (RCT) were studied and developed; expected variety comparison precision (EVCP) and realized variety comparison precision (RVCP) and the corresponding statistical indexes of them were proposed. It was explained that experimental precision (EP) and variety comparison precision (VCP) are two kinds of precision of RCT; EP includes error precision and variety mean precision, which can be measured respectively by the coefficient of variation of single observation's error (CVe) and the coefficient of variation of variety mean's error (CVy); VCP includes EVCP and RVCP, which can be measured respectively by the detectable least relative difference (DLRD) and the relative least significant distance (RLSD); EP is an important factor of VCP but not identical to it; RVCP is the realization of EVCP. Besides error, experimental design and GE interaction and ANOVA model affect VCP. Several application examples for these precision indexes were presented, and the precision of regional cotton trials in the Yellow River Valley and the Changjiang Valley were investigated through the historical data of RCTs from 1980 to 1999.